A HISTORICAL GROUNDBREAKING

(The Ebenezer Chapel)

Early one weekday morning of April, 1970, when the sun had not fully broken over the eastern horizon, several individuals purposely arose earlier than usual, departed their several homes and made their way along the not yet busy streets, until

they were assembled at 195 Estate Richmond, St. Croix on land upon which Ebenezer Methodist Church was eventually to be built.

The reason for the early assemblage was so the participants would not be late for work when the regular workday began. The group consisted of a minister and several Class Leaders of‑the St. Croix society of the Methodist Church of the

Caribbean and the Americas, and we were assembled for the express purpose of breaking ground for the erection of an edifice the people known as Methodists of the MCCA were to build their first place of worship on the island of St. Croix.

Members of this little gathering were.: the Reverend Wilfred Hodge, Sister Veronica Pinrey, whom we all see on a weekly basis, Sister Wilhelmina Javois (NYC), Sister Enid Richardson (Anguilla), Sister Adella Roberts (deceased), and yours truly, Brother C. Norman, who from the trunk of his car supplied the soi I –breaking implements of pickaxe and shovel; and who then performed the physical labor. Reverend Hodge conducted a brief but impressive and significant ceremony, envisioning our growth‑ potential.

In the vicinity of a spreading male gilnnep tree, with its grizzled and gnarled trunk, we broke ground and planted tree seed of MCCA, finally‑accomplishing what had been attempted almost 200 years before bringing Methodism the 200 miles

from Antigua to St. Croix.

The hundreds of MCCA members who were then making their homes here, who over the many years had been longing for their customary house of worship, showed pride in themselves and faith in God that we were well on our way to making

a contribution to our island community, and establishing a presence that would be noteworthy.

Equally gratifying was the knowledge that members and their families arriving subsequent to this event Would have an immediate place to worship the Almighty.

By. C. Norman